Leader of Heat Exchanger

What Leader of Heat Exchanger does

LHE Co., Ltd (formerly DHT) is a South Korean industrial heat exchanger manufacturer founded in 2001 and headquartered in Gimhae, with an additional HVAC-dedicated factory in Incheon and R&D centers in Korea, the United States, Sweden, and China. The company designs and manufactures custom-engineered plate-type heat exchange equipment across five product families: Gasketed Plate and Frame Heat Exchangers (GPHE) using proprietary corrugated High-theta and Low-theta plate geometries; LHEBloc welded plate units rated up to 35 bar and 350°C; Plate and Shell Heat Exchangers (SPHE); Spiral Plate Heat Exchangers (SHE); and Compact Heat Exchanger Units (CHU) for district heating/cooling applications. Core technology relies on laser-welded plate pairs, CFD/FEA simulation-led design, and in-house AHRI-accredited performance testing, and the company holds a registered patent on a heat exchanger cleaning method.

The business model is direct B2B enterprise sales of custom-engineered capital equipment, priced per quote, with revenue streams split across new unit sales, multi-year aftermarket service contracts, and spare parts. The company segments its customer base into primary verticals of Marine & Shipbuilding, Energy Process Industries, and HVAC Heating/Cooling, and secondary verticals of Power & Nuclear and Refrigeration. Distribution is executed through a global service network of 16+ service centers across 13+ countries supported by local agents. Notable named customers include Samsung C&T (green hydrogen project), Saudi Aramco (registered vendor), and ADNOC (Approved Vendor List), and the company carries a heavy stack of industry certifications: ISO 9001/14001/45001, ASME U Stamp, KEPIC, DNV AoM, CCS and RS Type Approvals, TRCU, and AHRI.

Name

Leader of Heat Exchanger

Legal name

LHE Co., Ltd

Website

https://lhe.co.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LHE Co., Ltd is a Korean manufacturer of custom-engineered plate heat exchangers (gasketed, welded, plate-and-shell, spiral, compact units) serving marine, energy process, HVAC, power, and refrigeration customers via direct enterprise sales and a global service network across 13+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Heat Exchangers

NAICS

Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing (332410), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341), Heating Equipment (except Warm Air Furnaces) Manufacturing (333414)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Heating Equip, Except Elec & Warm Air; & Plumbing Fixtures (3430)

akta.pro primary industry

Heat Transfer Equipment (Heat Exchangers, Boilers, Condensers) (IMAHAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Heat Exchangers, Coils & Hydronic HVAC Components (IMADANAF), Heat Exchangers & Thermal Transfer Equipment (IMAHAKAC), Commercial Vehicle Cooling, HVAC & Thermal Management Manufacturing (IMACABAN)

Keywords

• Plate heat exchangers
• Industrial heat transfer equipment
• Marine heat exchangers
• Gasketed plate exchangers
• Welded block exchangers

Headquarters

HQ city

Kimhae

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Heat Exchanger Equipment Sales: LHE designs, manufactures, and sells custom-engineered plate heat exchangers including gasketed, welded, plate-and-shell, spiral, and compact units. Each unit is configured to customer thermal and mechanical requirements. Equipment sales are the primary revenue stream.
2. Aftermarket Service and Maintenance: Comprehensive service including diagnostics, cleaning, repairs, full rebuilds, and maintenance contracts. Services all GPHE brands, not just LHE products. Emergency support available through global service network.
3. Spare Parts and Accessories: Supply of replacement plates, gaskets (NBR, EPDM, Viton/FKM, HNBR, EPDM-RC), tie bolts, inline filters, and other accessories. Parts built to OEM quality standards for all major GPHE brands.
4. Compact Heat Exchanger Units (CHU): Pre-assembled modular units for district heating/cooling combining heat exchangers with pumps, valves, and sensors in factory-tested packages.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

LHE designs, manufactures, and supplies plate-type heat exchangers for marine, energy process, and HVAC industrial applications. Its portfolio includes gasketed plate-and-frame (GPHE), welded plate-and-frame (LHEBloc/NovusBloc), plate-and-shell (SPHE), spiral plate (SHE), and pre-assembled compact heat exchanger units (CHU), supported by a global multi-brand service network and spare parts business.

Product overview

LHE (Leader Heat Exchanger) offers a comprehensive portfolio of heat exchanger products for industrial applications. The product lineup consists of five core heat exchanger types: (1) Gasketed Plate and Frame Heat Exchanger (GPHE) for general-purpose applications with easy maintenance; (2) LHEBloc Welded Plate and Frame Heat Exchanger for high-pressure and high-temperature demanding conditions; (3) Plate and Shell Heat Exchanger combining plate efficiency with shell durability; (4) Spiral Plate Heat Exchanger for self-cleaning applications with viscous fluids and slurries; and (5) Compact Heat Exchanger Unit (CHU) for pre-assembled district heating and cooling installations. LHE also provides comprehensive aftermarket services including heat exchanger servicing, spare parts (plates, gaskets, accessories), and global service center support across 13+ countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gasketed Plate and Frame Heat Exchanger (GPHE) High-efficiency plate heat exchangers with corrugated plates and replaceable gaskets for flexible configuration, easy maintenance, and thermal efficiency up to 5x higher than shell-and-tube designs. Used across general industrial applications including HVAC, light process, and marine duties.
• LHEBloc / NovusBloc Welded Plate and Frame Heat Exchanger Gasket-free welded plate and frame heat exchanger with laser-welded plate pairs for aggressive fluids, high pressures up to 35 bar, and extreme temperatures up to 350°C. Used in demanding refinery, petrochemical, oil and gas, and chemical applications.
• Plate and Shell Heat Exchanger (SPHE) Hybrid heat exchanger combining plate technology efficiency with shell-and-tube resilience, available in openable and fully welded configurations. Targeted at high-pressure, high-temperature duties such as oil and gas, chemical, and refinery processes.
• Spiral Plate Heat Exchanger (SHE) Compact spiral-shaped channel heat exchanger with self-cleaning design, automated edge-flatness system, and resistance to fouling. Used for viscous fluids, slurries, vacuum condensation, and fouling-prone process streams.
• Compact Heat Exchanger Unit (CHU) Pre-assembled modular skid combining heat exchangers, pumps, temperature control valves, and sensors for district heating and cooling systems. Designed to reduce installation time and project costs through factory-assembled, factory-tested packages.
• Heat Exchanger Aftermarket Service and Maintenance Diagnostics, cleaning, repairs, full rebuilds, and maintenance contracts for all GPHE brands (not just LHE). Includes on-site support, remote diagnostics, and Total Care contracts, with emergency response through a global service network.
• Spare Parts and Accessories OEM-quality replacement plates, gaskets (NBR, EPDM, Viton/FKM, HNBR, EPDM-RC), tie bolts, inline filters, and accessories for all major GPHE brands. Distributed through LHE's domestic and international parts operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 5x higher thermal efficiency compared to shell-and-tube exchangers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Samsung C&TcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSamsung C&T Gimcheon Solar Green Hydrogen project - LHE supplies heat exchangers for Korea's first facility to produce, store, and transport green hydrogen using 100% renewable energy. This pilot project demonstrates LHE's capability in emerging sustainable energy applications and supports decarbonization goals.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Xetex / SPX Heat Transfer: Specialist in plate heat exchangers with strong presence in chemical and HVAC — directly comparable on product range and customer overlap.
• Funke Heat Exchangers: German plate and shell-and-tube heat exchanger manufacturer with a comparable emphasis on custom engineering for process industries and a similar product-range breadth to LHE.
• Alfa Laval: Global leader in plate heat exchangers with the broadest GPHE product line (gasketed, welded, brazed, fusion-bonded) and a massive installed-base service network — directly comparable to LHE across marine, energy process, and HVAC.
• Kelvion: Major European plate and gasketed heat exchanger manufacturer with deep roots in marine, oil & gas, and power — competes head-to-head with LHE's welded block and plate-and-shell offerings.
• Tranter (Chart Industries): Long-established plate heat exchanger specialist, particularly strong in welded plate designs for refining and petrochemical duties — directly overlapping LHE's LHEBloc/NovusBloc welded product line.
• Sondex (Danfoss Heat Exchangers): Plate heat exchanger brand within Danfoss Climate Solutions; serves HVAC, refrigeration, and district heating with both gasketed and brazed plate products — overlapping LHE's CHU and GPHE portfolio.
• API Heat Transfer: North American manufacturer of plate, shell-and-tube, and welded heat exchangers serving chemical, petrochemical, and HVAC markets — overlapping LHE's custom-engineered energy process industrial business.
• Hisaka Works: Japanese plate heat exchanger manufacturer with similar custom-engineering emphasis and strong presence in Asian industrial and marine markets — a regional peer competing in overlapping accounts.

Broad incumbents

• Mersen: Industrial group with heat exchanger and process equipment lines serving chemical, semiconductor, and process industries — broader portfolio player overlapping LHE's energy process and HVAC segments.

Emerging players

• WCR Heat Exchanger: South Korea-based plate heat exchanger manufacturer with domestic focus — direct local competitor to LHE in the Korean GPHE market with overlapping customer profiles.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@LHE-LeaderHeatExchanger/featured
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lhe-co-ltd
• Xx.com/lhe_co_ltd

Compliance16 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Leader of Heat Exchanger